Mission: Possibly Smart
by Foxcat93
Summary: Control helps out the IMF on an important mission. Rated T for a tiny bit of questionable content, just to be safe. Please read and review!


Mission: Possibly Smart

A tall, ruggedly good-looking, middle-aged man with white hair walked through a park and went to a garden section where there was a stone fence and benches. He sat down on a bench and bent down to pull out a stone from the fence. Behind it was a reel-to-reel tape recorder. He switched it on. He also found a large envelope of photographs in the niche.

The tape recorder said: "Good morning, Jim. It has come to our attention that the small European country of Rhabonviniaz is in danger of being taken over by a particularly evil despot, Fredrikiz Mishkablendiz." Jim pulled out several photos from the envelope and studied Mishkablendiz's face.

"Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to prevent Mishkablendiz from taking over the government of Rhabonviniaz. As always, should any team member be caught or killed, the Secretary will disavow any knowledge of your actions This tape will self-destruct in five seconds. Good luck, Jim."

Jim took the tape off the recorder and threw it in a lagoon. In five seconds, there was a whoosh from the lagoon and a huge quantity of white smoke arose from the water. When the smoke cleared, several ducks and geese who had been swimming in the lagoon were seen to be coughing and honking. Jim turned and walked on.

*********************************************************************

Maxwell Smart, Agent 86 of Control was at home in his secret-device filled apartment playing with his 6-year old son, Shawn. They were wrestling on the floor and Shawn was screaming with laughter. Max tickled him and Shawn got away and ran over to the desk. He picked up a remote and pressed the button. A whirring sound was heard. Max ran over to intercept Shawn…too late. He crashed hard into the invisible wall, bumped his face and fell to the floor.

Getting up, Max said, "Shawn, push the button again!"

Shawn was still giggling. "Make me!"

"I'm going to tell your mother!" threatened Max. His son's dark eyes were sparkling with mischief. Max didn't always know how to handle him when he did this kind of thing.

Just then, Agent 99 knocked at the door. "Max, it's us." She had been taking a walk with Shawn's twin, Sarah.

"I need the password."

"Max!"

"Seriously, 99, I need the password…I forgot it."

"Max! Let us in! Sarah has to use the bathroom!"

Max let his wife and daughter in the apartment. Sarah ran up the stairs.

When Shawn saw his mother, he pressed the button to make the invisible wall retreat up into the ceiling. He surreptitiously put the remote on the desk when no one was looking. Then he hid behind the couch.

"99, Shawn won't play nice. He has the invisible wall down again!"

"Max, I asked you… please…don't leave that remote sitting on the desk when the kids are around…where _is_ Shawn, anyway?"

"He's right over there…" Max glanced over at where Shawn had been. "Shawn?" Max put his arm out to lean on the invisible wall, which unfortunately, no longer was there. He fell to the floor.

"Shawn!" said 99 authoritatively. "Where are you? You apologize to your father!"

Just then, a man's voice was heard. "Pssssstttttt…."

"What's that, 99?" said Max.

"It came from the fireplace, Max!"

Max went over to the fireplace. A man's head pushed through the logs and ashes in the fireplace. "Agent 44, is that you?"

"Sure is me, Max. I'm glad it's not cold outside."

"Why is that, 44?"

"You might have built a fire in here. Remember the last time? My hair was singed for the weeks!"

"I remember, 44. What have you got for me?"

"The Chief wants to see you and 99 right away over at Control. The Chief has a very special mission for you. Bring Shawn and Sarah…Agent 13 is going to babysit."

*********************************************************************

After dropping off the twins with Agent 13, Agents 86 and 99 walked into the Chief's office.

"Max, 99, sit down," said the Chief. Max sat on the edge of the Chief's desk while 99 sat in a chair. Max pulled out a cigarette from his cigarette case. 99 looked at him disapprovingly.

"Max, you told me you were giving those things up…remember….the kids?"

"Eh?" said Max. "Eh, I did give them up."

"Then what's that?"

"Eh, 99, I don't think I even remember…it's been so long." He stuck the cigarette back in his pocket with an irritated look on his face.

"OK, Max, I know what you're going to say next," said the Chief. "Before I start to tell you why I called you here, I need to tell you that the Cone of Silence has been removed from my office."

"Why, Chief?" asked Max. He looked upset.

"Max, it doesn't work…it _never_ worked!"

"So what are we going to do about security?"

"Max, I have had the office soundproofed. And just before you came, I had it scanned for bugs. It's clean, Max."

Max looked pouty. "Won't be the same without it…"

"Let's get down to business. I have had a call from another government agency asking for the services of some of my top agents for a special mission."

"Why do they need us, Chief?" asked 99.

"All of their top agents are on other missions; this one couldn't wait. They will tell you about it when you arrive at this address."

*********************************************************************

Jim Phelps, ariving at his apartment, sat down at his couch and looked through the photographs of the available agents. He looked for his usual choices, Cinnamon Carter, a lovely model and actress, Rollin Hand, an actor and master of disguises, Barney Collier, a mechanial and electronics genius and Willie Armitage, a weight lifter. None of them were included; they must be on another mission or unavailable at the time.

Instead he found photographs of Agent 99, who had done modeling before joining Control, another government agency. The next was Agent Hymie, billed as an electronic man, whatever that meant. The third photo was of Agent 86, Maxwell Smart, Control's top agent who had used many disguises on his cases. The fourth photo was of Agent Larrabee, billed as a financial expert and an excellent secretary.

Jim had expected to find more than four photos in the package, and he usually had more choices. Well, these would have to do. Control was a well-known secret government agency, with headquarters in Washington, DC. However, no one knew their secret telephone number unless they worked for Ma Bell.

Later, the chosen four arrived at Phelps' apartment. As he let them in, Jim studied their faces. Agent 99 smiled and sat on the couch. Agent Hymie shook Jim's hand and almost broke his fingers. Agent Larrabee looked puzzled. Agent 86 looked self-assured and walked around the room for a minute with his thumbs in the pockets of his vest, surveying the apartment.

"Please sit down," said Phelps. "We appreciate you taking this mission at this time. All of our other operatives are on other missions. It was kind of your agency's Chief to recommend you."

Jim passed around the pictures of their target. "Your mission is to go to the small European country of Rhabonviniaz and stop Fredrikiz Mishkablendiz, a particularly evil man, from taking over the country's government. He plans to make himself dictator. Because you don't know our operating methods, we have taken the liberty of assigning a very short training session for all of you, in each of your specific specialties."

"At the present time, Mishkablendiz is in prison, but he has set up a plan to break out. You are to help him break out, but prevent him from taking over Rhabonviniaz. Are there any questions?"

All the time that Phelps was talking, Max was squinting his eyes and concentrating very hard on the words. He raised his hand. "Yes, I have a question."

"Yes, Agent 86?"

"Can you repeat some of that?"

"Which part?"

"The part after 'Your mission…'"

"I can repeat it," said Hymie. He pressed a button on his chest and a recording of Phelp's voice repeated the instructions.

After the tape concluded, Larrabee raised his hand.

"Yes, Agent Larrabee?"

"So, what are we supposed to do? Did you want me to type a transcipt of that tape?"

Phelps began to wonder about these agents. If they were Control's top agents…. He felt like he should keep a close watch on this mission….The robot seemed okay and Agent 99 seemed to have a good head on her shoulders, but the other two…"

Phelps led the four agents to a secret room in the basement of his apartment building. It contained a briefcase for each with some of the devices, disguises and other things they might need to have for the mission. IMF had the latest and most up-to-date equipment and gadgets. Four tiny screens were available with a training film for each of the agents in their specialty. After spending several hours in training, the four Control agents felt ready to go on their special mission.

Max had Hymie record all the training information because he knew he wouldn't remember all the details, but Hymie would never forget.

*********************************************************************

It took the better part of a day and a half to fly to Rhabonviniaz. Max was glad to be on a mission with 99. It was great to be with her on a case. He put his arm around her and kissed her.

"What's that for?"

"Nothing in particular," Max answered.

"I'm sorry I grumbled at you about the cigarettes…but you understand." She kissed him back and put her head on his shoulder.

"Sure, 99. I understand." He fingered the cigarette case in his pocket. He would sneak in the bathroom and take care of that later. 99 would never know. After all, the kids weren't with them on the flight.

Behind them, Hymie and Larrabee sat together. "Hymie, how come they said I am a financial genius?" asked Larrabee.

"I don't know, Larrabee. But if you need anything added or subtracted I can help you. You're my friend too, aren't you? I help all my friends!"

"Hey, thanks, Hymie! You _are_ a friend! Maybe Max knows why I am a financial genius." Larrabee stood up and tapped Max on the shoulder. He asked Max the question.

"Larrabee, they probably couldn't think of anything you're good at so they made it up."

"Max!" said 99. "That wasn't nice!"

"It's true!"

"Well, Max, you're not a financial genius either!" said Larrabee.

"I never said I was."

"I didn't either."

"So, are we okay, Larrabee?"

"I think I'm mad at you, Max."

"Why?"

"I don't know. I'm just mad at you."

"Fine with me, Larrabee. Sit down." Larrabee sat down.

"Max!" whispered 99. "What's the matter with you? That was pretty snotty!"

"Sorry 99." Max stood up and turned around. "Sorry, Larrabee. I'm just a little irritable. I need to use the bathroom, 99." He went to smoke in the bathroom and his nerves felt better.

*********************************************************************

Arriving at the Rhabonviniazian airport, a panel truck was ready to take them to the prison where Mishkablendiz was being held. In the panel truck, Max put on his disguise which consisted of a prison outfit and minor changes to his face.

He would be brought in as a prisoner, an American, someone Mishkablendiz knew from the past. His name would be John Thomas Sutherland, a safecracker and escape artist who had lived in Rhabonviniaz in and out of prison, for many years.

Max needed to make only a few minor alterations to his face: a mustache, a little gray to his sideburns and rimless glasses. Other than that, he matched Sutherland's description perfectly. The IMF knew that Sutherland had been captured the year before and was in an American prison, but Mishkablendiz had no knowledge of that fact. Max, as Sutherland, was to help break Mishkablendiz out of prison. Max had been briefed on as many aspects of Sutherland's personality as were known.

Hymie was to rig the cell in which Mishkablendiz was being held with a secret door allowing access to the outside of the prison, where the despot would be taken elsewhere. 99 was to be available later to make the would-be dictator think he was being held in a safe place. Larrabee would help Max by bringing things he would need for the first part of the mission.

The IMF had arranged for the warden and the guards holding Mishkablendiz to know what was going on. They were not to interfere with the mission. Prisoners had been moved from the adjacent cells so there would be no witnesses to anything that went on with Mishkablendiz.

*********************************************************************

Max was put in the cell with Mishkablendiz. The despot was a tall stocky man with red hair and blue eyes. He seemed to recognize Max as Sutherland right away.

"Johnny! Johnny Sutherland!" He grabbed Max and squeezed him so hard Max could hardly breathe. "How are you, my friend?"

"Eh, I'm fine, Freddy. Other than being in prison…"

"Sit down, old friend!" Mishkablendiz's English was almost perfect with only a hint of an accent. "So what have you been doing since I last saw you"

"Hit a few banks, here and there…last one they caught me. I was back in the States…in Fort Worth, Texas…got nearly a million dollars…hid it too…they can't find it…"

"So why did they send you here, Johnny?"

"Eh, well, I, eh, asked them to send me here…I figured I had a better chance of…eh…breaking out of prison here…" Mishkablendiz looked up sharply when Max said _breaking out of prison._

"Just what I had in mind, old friend! You help me get out of here…I give you important place in my new government!"

"Yeah, really?" said Max, acting excited. "Sure, I can break us out of here! Would you believe I've broken out of at least 50 prisons in the last few years?"

Freddy looked skeptical and scratched his head. "I think you are exaggerating, Johnny."

"Would you believe 30 prisons?"

"That's still a lot of prisons, Johnny."

Max scrunched his eyes together thinking. "How about I snuck out of the house 25 times in the last week so my wife wouldn't know I was still smoking?"

Freddy started to laugh. "When did you take up smoking, Johnny? And when did you get married?" He stopped laughing abruptly. "And what do you mean '_in_ _the last week'? _I thought you were apprehended for a bank holdup?"

"Eh, a lot can happen in a few days, Freddy."

"Johnny, your voice sounds different. I cannot put my finger on it, but…"

"Eh, enough about me, Freddy. When do you think is the best time to break out? I think tonight…"

*********************************************************************

Later that night, when the guards were doing the nightly bed check, Larrabee came by Max's cell. Freddy was sleeping. Larrabee had something wrapped in a napkin and he handed it to Max.

"Larrabee, what's this?" Max whispered.

"It's a syringe with a sleeping drug for him." He pointed to the sleeping Mishkablendiz. Use the skin anesthetic first. He won't feel it then." Larrabee turned to leave.

"Wait, Larrabee!" whispered Max. "Can you get me some cigarettes? I'm dying in here…"

"Max, I'm still mad at you. You weren't very nice to me…"

"Sorry about that, Larrabee, but can you help me anyway, please?"

Larrabee reached in his pocket and gave Max a package of cigarettes and a lighter. "I shouldn't do this, Max."

"I appreciate it, Larrabee, really! Are we back to being friends?"

"I don't know, Max…"

"Larrabee, you better leave before he wakes up and gets suspicious…" Larrabee left abruptly. Max lit a cigarette right away and felt better. Freddy turned over in bed, awake, and saw Max smoking. He sat up and frowned.

"Bummed it off a guard," said Max.

Freddy looked skeptical. "What guard would give you cigarette?"

"Eh, there's a real dumb one out there, Freddy. I think he's new. You want a cigarette? I have a few more…"

"No, don't touch them. The smoke makes me cough."

_Oh, great,_ thought Max. _I'd better get this syringe in him soon…_Max tried to think of how to do that. There wasn't any way that he could get the drug into Mishkablendiz except if he were sleeping. Unless…

Max took out the syringe in full view of Freddy. He sucked some liquid from a vial with the syringe. He held it up and snapped it with his fingers to get the bubbles out. He tied his handkerchief tightly around his arm above the vein. Then he pointed the syringe at the vein in his left arm. Mishkablendiz was watching, frowning.

"Johnny, what's that?"

Max looked up, still holding the syringe. "Something to make me feel better…"

"If you are going to help me break out, I cannot have you drugged. Give me that!"

Freddy attempted to pull the syringe away from Max. Max struggled enough to make it look real. Then he plunged the syringe into Mishkablendiz's arm. It looked like an accident. Freddy looked surprised. "What is that in your syringe?"

"You'll feel good in no time, Freddy. Sorry that happened. Now I'll have to get another for myself." At that point, Freddy's eyes turned upward and he fell to the floor.

"Psssst, Larrabee!" whispered Max. Larrabee, Hymie and 99 came running. Larrabee unlocked the cell door. On the other side of the cell, he unlocked the secret door. Hymie carried Freddy out of the cell through the secret door. No one else saw what was happening.

Outside of the cell was a corridor leading to the outside. A helicopter was waiting to pick up the four agents and the despot and bring them to the Imperial Palace inn Rhabonviniaz.

During the night, the four agents made their preparations for the following day when Mishkablendiz would awaken and everything had to be perfect. The agents each took only a few hours to sleep with someone guarding Mishkablendiz at all times.

Hymie had built false rooms in the basement of the Imperial Palace. One looked like the inside of a fancy Spanish hacienda. The other rooms were furnished as adjacent quarters in the "house." And the most important one was a room in which Hymie could watch the hidden camera that was installed inside the main room. He could hear and see everything that went on and lend a hand if necessary.

Max changed his prison clothes for a suit, tie and vest. He touched up the gray in his hair and made sure the mustache was still attached tightly. 99 donned a fancy, long blue dress. Larrabee was dressed as a butler. Hymie was just outside, waiting to see if he would be needed, and watching through a tiny remote camera. The camera was capable of recording when needed.

They had dressed Freddy in pajamas and he was lying on the couch with a blanket over him. Max checked his watch. Mishkablendiz would be awakening soon. Max needed a cigarette badly. "I'll be back shortly…"

"Where are you going, Max?" said 99. "He'll be waking up soon…"

"I'll only be a minute…" Max left the room.

As Max left, Mishkablendiz started to awake. 99 went over to him so she would be the first person he saw. He opened his eyes, looked at 99 and scanned he room. "Where am I?"

"I am Johnny Sutherland's wife, Elena," said 99, in a soft Spanish accent. "You are at our hacienda in Toledo, Spain. Juanito broke you out of prison. No one can get to you now, Señor…I cannot pronounce your name…"

"Just call me Freddy….well, Johnny has done well for himself. Where is he?"

"He be back in a minute, Señor Freddy. You wish anything to eat or drink, yes?"

"Yes, will you bring me breakfast? And some clothes?"

"Certainly, Señor Freddy." 99 tugged on a bell pull. Larrabee entered the room, in his butler disguise. "Pedro, please bring our guest breakfast…and find him some clothes."

"Si, Señora," said Larrabee. 99 was impressed that he remembered the Spanish words. Larrabee returned in a few minutes carrying a huge tray with dishes of food on it. At that moment, Max came back in the room. As he opened the door, he banged it into Larrabee, who fell and the food went flying. Max tripped over Larrabee and barely missed getting the food all over himself.

They helped each other up and cleaned up the floor. Freddy looked on skeptically. 99 helped wipe up the floor. Thank goodness it was a tile floor instead of carpeting. Larrabee went back for more food.

99 brought clothes over for Mishkablendiz. "You can change in the bathroom, Señor Freddy," she said.

Freddy came back shortly, dressed in a suit and tie. "That is more like it," he said. He sat on the couch. "All right, my friend, what is our next move? How do I get back to Rhabonviniaz? I have my takeover plans all ready…"

Max came over and sat next to Freddy on the couch. "Let's have breakfast first, Freddy." 99 put a table in front of the two men and she pulled up a chair on the other side. Larrabee came back with another tray of food. They began to eat. Larrabee was looking on, wishing they would invite him to eat something.

Finally 99 got the idea. "Pedro, why do you not go to eat in the kitchen with Jaime?"

Larrabee smiled. "Si, si, Señora!" He left the room.

Freddy looked around the room for a clock. "What time is it, Johnny?"

Max had his coffee in his hand. He turned his wrist to look at his watch and poured the whole cup of coffee on his plate of sausage and eggs. "Eh, it's 7:30 in the morning…"he said. He acted as if nothing had happened and began to eat the scrambled eggs with coffee. _Well, it could have been worse…at least it wasn't cola that I spilled._

They finished eating. 99 got up and called Larrabee to come to take away the dishes. Freddy got up and started pacing. Max stood up and the end of the table cloth got caught on his cufflink. He walked one step and the tablecloth went flying on the floor with all the dishes and food. Max lost his balance and held on to the table but only succeeded in knocking it over. The broken dishes and the food remnants flew all over. Max sat down on the sofa again. Larrabee picked up the mess and righted the table.

Freddy looked at Max strangely. "What's the matter with you, Johnny? You are starting to become a walking disaster."

"I've been told that before," said Max dryly.

"By the way," said Mishkablendiz, "What was that you gave me by accident yesterday? It did make me feel good and I don't seem to have any side effects…"

"Eh," said Max, thinking fast. "It is something new, don't remember the name, no side effects and non-addicting."

"So how long have you been taking it, Johnny?"

"Eh, a year, two years, I don't remember…"

"Taking it for two years and you can't remember the name? No side effects, you say?" said Freddy. "Looking at you, I would say the side effects are forgetfulness and extreme clumsiness! I want you off that stuff right now, or there is no place in my government for you…I can't abide incompetence!"

"You're right as usual," said Max.

"What is he talking about, Juanito?" asked 99, coming over to sit next to Max. "Max, I think he's getting suspicious! Be careful!" she whispered.

"What was that?" asked Mishkablendiz.

"I was just whispering sweet nothings to my most handsome husband, Señor." She kissed Max and whispered in his ear, "Start on the next part of the plan, Max!"

"Eh, Freddy, why don't you tell me what your plan is for Rhabonviniaz?"

"You expect me to talk here…in front of them?"

"Freddy, that is my wife and Pedro is family…he's your cousin, isn't he, Elena?" 99 was shaking her head….like don't go there….

Freddy came closer to Max. "He is your wife's cousin and you make him work as a servant, Johnny? You are a hard man. My kind of man." He laughed and smacked Max on the back so hard he almost fell off the couch. "Get them out of here anyway, Johnny, this is between you and me."

Larrabee and 99 left the room. Max knew where the hidden camera was and they were facing it as long as they stayed on the couch. Freddy was still pacing. If he didn't stop walking, the camera wouldn't pick up his picture and his voice might not be clear enough.

"Freddy, why don't you sit here next to me on the couch."

"Why?"

"So I can hear you better. Gun went off near my ear at one of my bank holdups…lost a little hearing there…"

"You could hear perfectly well up til now," said Freddy.

"Eh, it comes and goes…"

"All right, I talk louder!" He stood facing Max, which of course was with his back to the camera. 99 came to the rescue. She came back in the room with a wheeled cart on which she had put a carafe of orange juice, cranberry juice and more coffee. There was a plate of doughnuts too.

"Sorry for intrusion, Señor, but I have doughnuts. Juanito's favorite! Please have some yourself."

"Yes, I am such a sucker for a good doughnut," said Mishkablendiz. He sat down on the couch next to Max.

"You have a lovely wife, Johnny."

"Yes, I do," said Max with conviction.

Max waited til 99 exited the room, then he said. "Freddy, if I am going to be part of your government, I need to know your plan. Let's talk about it."

"Ah, you are so anxious. All right. I am coming back to Rhabonviniaz as soon as I get the word that it is safe. First, I will give order that all my enemies and some of my so-called friends to be assassinated."

_Ugh,_ thought Max. _Glad I'm not really his friend._

"Then we come back home and throw out the government. Every one of them we will execute. Then _we will be_ the government. We will make all the laws. Throw everything else out."

"When do you give the orders for the executions, Freddy?"

Suddenly the phone rang. Max answered it. "It's your 2nd in command, Freddy." It was really Hymie simulating the voice.

Freddy took the phone and covered the mouthpiece. "How did he know to call here?"

"Eh, I gave word that all calls for you should come here…it's okay, there is a series of false numbers that calls have to go through before they get here. The calls can't be traced."

Freddy took the call. "Yes? The list of assassinations…" He gave the caller an extensive list of the people that were to be eliminated. "I don't want that in writing, no record of this conversation must exist." He hung up the phone.

"When they call back that the assassinations are complete, we will go back to Rhabonviniaz and take over, Johnny. It will be a dream come true."

"I have to go out for a cigarette," said Max confidentially to Freddy, "before Elena notices." This time his real aim was to make sure Hymie had been able to record Mishkabloniz's plans on tape.

"No, no, you are not leaving now…I have not told you the rest of the plan…"

"I warn you, I get irritable if I don't have a cigarette regularly…" said Max.

"Are you threatening me?" asked Freddy. He looked at Max with a strange expression. "Why don't you smoke here?"

"You said it made you cough."

"So I cough. You stay."

Max lit a cigarette and tried to think of what their next move could be. He needed to make sure Hymie had recorded those plans.

"I have to make a phone call," said Max.

"Who are you calling?"

"Eh…" Max couldn't think of anyone.

"You know, Johnny, there is something strange going on. I am thinking you have something up your sleeve."

Max looked inside both his sleeves. He smiled and looked at the tall red-haired man. "No, nothing in there."

"That's what I mean, Johnny. You are acting a little…how can I put it nicely…the word 'bizarre' comes to mind…"

"It's been a while since we've seen each other…people change…."

"Not that much, Johnny."

Max was afraid Freddy was on to them. The longer they talked, the more things Max was liable to say things that would make Freddy suspicious.

They needed to get into the final phase of the plan. Freddy was thwarting his every move. Max went over to the butler's bell pull. He tugged hard on it. The bell pull came down on his head along with the curtain on the window next to it. Max sighed. Nothing was going right.

But Larrabee entered the room anyway. He forgot his Spanish accent. "Hi, Max, what did you want?"

Max glanced over at Mishkablendiz. He apparently hadn't heard Larrabee. Max wrote something on a piece of paper and put his finger to his lips. Larrabee left the room.

In the next room, 99 and Hymie were waiting and watching the closed circuit camera on a small television. They could see and hear everything Max and Freddy were saying. The paper from Max said, _We have to go to the last phase soon…did Hymie get Freddy on tape?_

Without looking up, Freddy said, "What did you give Pedro?" He glanced over at Max. "And why did he call you Max?"

"Eh, I gave him a note asking for more cigarettes. And he didn't call me Max, he said himax…eh, that's Spanish for 'you dropped the curtains on the floor."

Freddy looked very skeptical. "I know some Spanish…I don't think…" At that moment, the phone rang. Freddy picked it up. "Yes, yes, all assassinations are finished? You sure?"

Freddy glanced at Max. "All the assassinations have been completed. That seems too fast."

"Freddy, I have an idea. It will clear my head if I get some outside air. Let's go upstairs on the veranda."

"You go, Johnny."

"I want you to come with me, Freddy. You need some fresh air too."

Freddy finally smiled. "All right, Johnny. I come with you."

Max breathed a sigh of relief. There was an elevator in which the interior had been changed so that Freddy would not recognize where he was. The two entered the elevator and went up several floors. Max opened the doors to the veranda. He stepped out, followed by Freddy.

Max pressed a button on the stone railing and stepped back. He closed the doors to the veranda, leaving Freddy outside, alone. He locked the doors from the inside, then walked away quickly.

Freddy should have reacted immediately, but it took him a few seconds to take in his surroundings and figure out what was happening. He was on a veranda at the Imperial Palace in Rhabonviniaz. The Rhabonviniazian people were standing below watching as Mishkablendiz's face and voice were projected on several huge screens. His voice began to list the assassinations he had spoken confidentially into the phone earlier. His image and voice talked about taking over the government and throwing out all the laws. He showed his disregard and hatred for the people.

Suddenly there was a mighty roar as the angry mob started to understand who this man was and what he planned to do. They started screaming and shouting. Some climbed up on the veranda. They surrounded Mishkablendiz and pummeled him. . They pulled him off the veranda and justice was then in the hands of the people.

Max met up with the rest of his team and they took the elevator to the roof of the palace where a helicopter was waiting. The four agents were whisked back to the airport where they got on a jet bound for Washington, DC.

All four agents were quiet as they started their flight back to Washington. There was hardly a word exchanged between them. Max pulled out a cigarette. 99 was about to say something, then decided not to. She let him finish it, then put her arm around him and put her head on his shoulder.

"I wonder what they are going to do to Freddy," said 99.

"I don't think we want to know, 99," said Max. "You know he deserves it. The forces of evil can't ever be allowed to win. You know we work for goodness and niceness…And it's true that Freddy brought this on himself. He said the words that sealed his fate."

*********************************************************************

The Chief welcomed his agents back as they entered his office.

"I am very proud of all of you. This was an extraordinary assignment for you and you have executed it perfectly," said the Chief.

"Well, not completely," spoke up Larrabee. "Max almost blew the whole thing for us!"

"When was that, financial genius?" said Max, sarcastically. Max took out a cigarette and lit it.

"Max, you told me you gave those up!" said 99.

"99, you're getting to be just a bit of a nag!"

"Max wouldn't let me do anything important on the mission," spoke up Hymie. "I never got to say a word….and you never call me unless you want something…"

Pretty soon all four agents were yelling at each other. The Chief pounded his fist on the desk. "All of you stop it! What's going on here? Now, I was just about to say that I am very pleased at how you pulled off this mission. Each one of you did a fantastic job! Jim Phelps is also very pleased with the results of your mission. Why, the President is preparing commendations for each of you at this very moment. So, tell me, what is going on here?

Larrabee?" asked the Chief.

"Max was making fun of me," he pouted.

"Max?" said the Chief.

"I'm sorry, Larrabee, sorry that you're not a financial genius. Eh, I didn't really mean it that way…"

"99?"

"I'm sorry that I've been nagging you about smoking, Max, but you promised me and you keep lying to me…" said 99.

"Sorry, 99. I'll stop lying to you if you stop nagging me."

"OK, Max, I promise."

"Hymie?"

"No one cares about me because I'm a robot," pouted the mechanical man.

"That's not true, Hymie," said Max. "Why you're my best friend!"

"Thanks, Max!" Hymie picked up Max and gave him a manly hug.

"Are we all okay with each other now?" asked the Chief.

The four agents nodded.

Just then, there was a small knock at the door. It was 6 year old Shawn and Sarah. Shawn was dressed in a suit, vest and tie, just like Max. Sarah had on a tiny pantsuit similar to the ones 99 often wore. The children both had wavy black hair and dark eyes. Shawn ran to his mother and Sarah to Max.

"Guess what Uncle Agent 13 showed us how to do?" asked Shawn.

"He showed us how to hide in trees and furniture!" blurted out Sarah.

"I see that if all of you don't get along in the future, I'll have at least two replacements for you in mind," smiled the Chief.

The agents exited the Chief's office, with the children turning around to wave goodbye to the Chief. Max was holding Sarah's hand and they both turned around, with Sarah waving. The both walked into the wall instead of through the door. They both bumped their noses and said, "Owww," at the same time.

The Chief smiled and rolled his eyes.

THE END


End file.
